Lance Armstrong is banned from running in the Chicago Marathon October 7. Apparently its because of his lifetime ban by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Armstrong had considered running for Livestrong in the race. He was going to likely run along with the marathoners out there to support the cancer charity. What a shame to ban someone from helping a charity in a run. Whats next possibly they will ban him from swimming at the local pool as well? How far does this go?

Marathon officials said that Armstrong never formally registered, but he was considering running with Livestrong’s charity team, who do the marathon as a fundraiser for the Lance Armstrongs Foundation. The ban that is preventing Armstrong from running with them is “frustrating and unfortunate,” foundation president and CEO Doug Ulman said, and could harm the group’s fundraising efforts.

But apparently since this Chicago marathon is sanctioned by USA Track and Field, and the USDA ban prevents him from entering any events organized, authorized or sanctioned by federations that follow the World Anti-Doping Agency’s rules.

“The code is very clear regarding the ineligibility of sanctioned athletes to compete in other sports,” USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said in an email. “USATF is a signatory to the WADA code, and we confirmed with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that Mr. Armstrong’s ban extends to track and field, road running and all of our sport’s disciplines.”

“There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough,’” Armstrong wrote in a statement. “For me, that time is now.”

Alberto Contador, winner of the 2010 Tour de France, had previously been stripped of his title and banned for two years after being found guilty of doping. He was banned for 2 years after the Court of Arbitration for Sport discovered the banned substance clenbuterol in his tests during the Tour two years ago. Contador had claimed the test results were due to contaminated meat he had eaten. He just won the Vuelta A Espana. So am I missing something? Contador was stripped of his title banned 2 years came back and raced in the Tour of Spain? Armstrong is stripped of all titles, banned for life and cant even run in a charity marathon? Something doesnt smell right here.

The fight against Lance dragged on for years.The charges from USADA came just months after federal prosecutors closed a two-year criminal investigation of Armstrong without indicting him.

At that time Armstrong maintained his innocence, saying: ”I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one.”

“Unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one,” Armstrong said on his website. “That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence.”

Earlier this month, the International Cycling Union requested a full account of the agency’s findings but has yet to receive them, UCI president Pat McQuaid indicated. This seems strange to me that they would not have gotten a full report by now, with all the apparent evidence the USADA have.

Just recently as I mentioned Federal prosecutors closed their investigation of Lance Armstrong and his team mates participating in doping. Lance Armstrong the seven-time Tour de France winner has steadfastly denied he doped during his unparalleled career.

The probe, anchored in Los Angeles where a grand jury was presented evidence by federal prosecutors and heard testimony from Armstrong’s former teammates and associates, began with a separate investigation of Rock Racing, a cycling team owned by fashion entrepreneur Michael Ball.

U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. announced in a press release that his office ”is closing an investigation into allegations of federal criminal conduct by members and associates of a professional bicycle racing team owned in part by Lance Armstrong.’

The Justice Department prosecutors closed their investigation against Armstrong in February that should have been the end of it. They called witnesses to a federal grand jury and it was determined there was not enough evidence to bring a charge against him.

It seems to me the investigations have been relentless. Honestly, if any normal person was investigated this much and it also relied on testimony half of us would either lose our jobs or be embarrassed at what might have happened 10-20 years ago. The saying is the best time to run for politics is when you are 2 years old… because you will have a spotless record!

I like Lance Armstrong, even though he has had a lot of controversy regarding drug testing results (as many athletes do). He has worked hard on his Livestrong Foundation that raises a lot of money for cancer. Not many other racers contribute what he does towards fundraising. He deserves a lot of respect for that. That nobody can ever take away from Lance Armstrong. Thank you Lance.

Lance described his bout with cancer as “a special wake-up call.” He heeded the call to activism by becoming a spokesperson for testicular and other forms of cancer and formed the Lance Armstrong Foundation within months of his diagnosis. His international, non-profit Foundation was established initially to benefit cancer research and promote urologic cancer awareness and the importance of early detection.

I will raise funds for the Livestrong Foundation on my cycle across the US in the fall on my global trek as it is a great organization and help cancer patients get the help they need.

I am a firefighter and cancer survivor circumnavigating the globe by bicycle to fund research for a cure breast, prostate, and lung cancer. The posted blogs are my personal opinion and thoughts.

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